Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial

Origins of King National Memorial Washington D.C.

Many people visiting the King National Memorial in Washington, D.C. wonder why it is so small. What they don't know is that this memorial is a result of a fundraising initiative. The U.S. federal government did contribute to the building of the memorial. It is smaller in size compared to the Jefferson Memorial or Lincoln Memorial because the concept was established by an African American Fraternity Alpha Phi Alpha. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was himself a member of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity. The Alphas desired to commemorate the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. for non-violent social change.

During my visit I was amazed by the attention to detail of the likeness of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. It makes up for the size of the statue.